Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 06-01-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Writing inspiration comes from anywhere, can be any little thing--even an avocado. Enjoy reading today's note from book club reader, Debbie, enter the writing journal giveaway, and then try my new recipe.

From my Email Bag:

"Dear Suzanne, just a little note to say how much I'm enjoying your daily columns. I love reading with you, as well as about you. I also wanted to letcha know your advice on writing has helped me to just sit down and write randomly, each day. For instance, I had a dream about an avocado, I've never tasted one, didn't even know whether its a fruit or vegetable till I looked it up on the Internet. Since my dream I've done some research, and in my dream I was cutting one up and adding sugar. (Ha-ha) I plan to follow through with my dream and document what I discover about this fruity vegetable."--Debbie

Debbie, lately I've been thinking about avocados, too, because there are hundreds of teeny-tiny avocados on the tree in my yard. And as soon as they get bigger and ripen, I'll be making my favorite avocado dip. Can't wait.

Enter today's writing journal giveaway, (I have 5 journals for readers) and to see my avocado dip recipe. Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/journals060112.html

Congratulations to recent book winners:

Winners of A SIMPLE MURDER, by author and Guest Columnist, Eleanor Kuhns: Ardice Kuehner, Rita Pierini, Vicki Huber, Norma J. Sundberg, Carol Royce, Kathleen Fannon, Marti Hill, Beth Ford, Nancy Reynolds, Vicky Kellen, Dee Stillings, Lynda Harrison, Joyce Bartley, Pat Harmer and Marge OLeary.

And the winners of NO BIKING IN THE HOUSE WITHOUT A HELMET, by last week's Guest Columnist Melissa Fay Greene: Mary Rodriguez, Mildred West, Laura E A Brack, Carol Szymanski and Flo Kropilak.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free (signed!) copy of the latest teen fiction featured books from Jennifer Estep, DARK FROST; Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER; and Ursula Poznanski, EREBOS. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the authors, and more, see www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

AUTHORBUZZ: SKELETON WOMAN (Fiction) by Mingmei Yip

Left in an orphanage after her parents are killed, Camilla is happy to be adopted. Then she discovers she will be trained as a singer to cover her deadly mission as a spy--eliminating Shanghai's most powerful gangster. Her life is made even more difficult by two other femmes fatales--"Skeleton Women"--a mysterious magician and a cross-dressing gossip columnist.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SKELETON WOMAN to read more and to email author Mingmei Yip, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-30-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

I'm not a doctor, but I play one when I Goggle symptoms on the Internet. Self-diagnosis, it's as insane as reading through an 8-page list of possible prescription side affects--discovered in clinical trials--that could possibly attack my mind and body after ingesting the medicine. (If I wasn't feeling sick enough before taking the prescription, now for sure there's "No hope, no hope!")

When I'm not feeling well, instead of letting real medical tests and real doctors diagnosis the problem, first I go online. After checking boxes on the Symptom Checker: fatigue, headache, constantly thinking about eating Dove chocolate (the new raspberry swirl flavor), excessive sweating, lower back pain and occasional disorientation, I was presented with three choices: insomnia, obesity, or an aortic dissection.

Worry-wart me, "I'll take aortic dissection for $500, Alex."

How silly is that? But I'm not the only one. In the midst of telling a friend about my self-diagnosing, "Me too, me too," she confessed, "I did the same thing, just last week." (My friend's a nurse.) And if I stay plugged into the Internet long enough agonizing over ghastly possibilities, eventually, to quote Mark Twain, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Yes, the possible outcomes I can dream up are frightening. My legs and feet might become numb, I could be constipated for the rest of my life, my index finger could suddenly turn purple and fall off, or face it, Suzanne, it's time to prepare a list for my dear husband. How to do laundry, the passwords to all of my online accounts, be sure to rub Papa (the stray cat who comes in for dinner every evening) until he burps, and don't make a fuss, simply cremate me, throw my ashes on the garden and turn on the bubble machine.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free (signed!) copy of the latest teen fiction featured books from Jennifer Estep, DARK FROST; Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER; and Ursula Poznanski, EREBOS. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the authors, and more, see www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: LOVE IS MURDER (Fiction) edited by Sandra Brown

An anthology of short stories penned by some of our most popular romantic suspense authors, LOVE IS MURDER also features stories by writers better known for their thrillers, but who often incorporate into their books the relationship layering that is the trademark of traditional romantic suspense.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on LOVE IS MURDER to read more and to email author Sandra Brown, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-29-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF INFLUENCE, I was intrigued by the title of Dan Seidman's book, and even more intrigued in the midst of reading it, and anxious to experiment with some of the concepts. The subtitle of the book is, Master the One Skill Every Sales Pro Needs. But the book is really an excellent read for anyone, because when you think about it, we're all trying to influence someone every day. Trying to influence our kids, our boss, coworkers, our spouse, or we're trying to influence the furniture salesperson to give us a great deal on the dark blue leather recliner that would look perfect in our living room.

Dan is a World Masters Athlete with three gold medals playing on the US Basketball Team. As a competitive athlete, he hates losing more than he enjoys winning. So he takes that attitude into the selling profession to turn salespeople into sales pros. "The Secret Language of Influence" is his sixth book. As a sales trainer, Dan travels globally, teaching the latest best-practices in influence. His next two trips are to the exotic locations of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Istanbul, Turkey.

Contact Dan directly at Dan@GotInfluenceInc.com. He'd love to hear from you, and he'll enter your name in a drawing for a copy of three books he's giving away, and he'd be happy to email you three unique articles for business professionals, THE ONE SALES TEST YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO FAIL, THE 800 POUND LIE OF GUERRILLA MARKETING and AAAAHHHHH! (how to evoke emotions when you sell).

Welcome Dan to the bookclubs, email: Dan@gotinfluenceinc.com

Take it away Dan Seidman . . .

INFLUENCE & STUFFED ANIMALS

Want to get a good laugh out of your kids?

Tell them you are going to win a staring contest--with one of their stuffed animals.

I lay in bed, eyes locked on the small, but fierce-looking pug. He was a Webkinz, meaning he also had the power of the Internet backing his tail.

The world began spinning as I fought to keep my eyelids from flickering. The dryness was the worst part of the contest; my eyes felt as if they'd been rubbed, wide open, in the fur of the little beast.

Children cheered, but my concentration was so intense, was it for me, or him?

In an instant it was over. My kids began to laugh at my loss. "Dad, you can never win against a stuffed animal. He has no eyelids."

You can never win.

That's a nasty thought. Here's a nastier one--what activities during your day are absolute losers? And I'm including mental activities, too.

The big one? ATTITUDE

You can actually alter and improve an individual's attitude with an exercise I ran with a major non-profit, World Vision.

World Vision uses phone callers to garnish donations. They work hard, getting tons of NOs, even from people who are current or past supporters. How do you help manage all that negativity?

Focus on gratitude to improve your attitude!

Create a HEART & HEAD CHECK self-test

On paper, create POSITIVE RESPONSES to your feelings about...

The economy
Things are hard now, but if someone gives up a case of soda a month, they can help.

Fundraising Industry
We do great work, helping the under-resourced.

Your company World Vision
I work, proudly, for one of the most respected and ethical organizations on the planet!

Donors' perception about World Vision
They trust that 10c on every dollar goes to operations; while 90c helps people they see at http://www.worldvision.org/.

Your office
My work environment is bright, with fun employees, newer computers and phones.

Your boss
Larry really cares about me personally and my work.

Your job
I get to interact with interesting people from all over the country and all walks of life. It's a cool reflection of God's diverse creation, all experienced on the phone.

Your self
I landed a job here! It's hard work and fun.

Healthy responses found light at the end of every tunnel. For example, the Industry response was about serving people, not donors' tight wallets.

Print and put this up. It's uplifting for anyone walking into the work area.

You just branded healthy attitude inside the company.

What other ways can you use this idea?

The best learners become teachers as soon as they come across new knowledge. Who needs to know about this? Run this exercise at work, even at home.

So change attitude by focusing on gratitude. And change it forever by giving your team and your family printed evidence of all the good they encounter and offer each day.

Who will you share this with? When?

Send an email to Dan, just say hello, ask for the three articles he's giving away or ask to be entered in his book giveaway. (Please always include your mailing address, in case you win).
Email: Dan@gotinfluenceinc.com

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: SHOUT HER LOVELY NAME (Fiction) by Natalie Serber

Flawed, free-loving Ruby Hargrove adopts strays--cats and men. She and her steadfast daughter, Nora, scrutinize, criticize and inspire one another in a suite of stories that make up the center of SHOUT HER LOVELY NAME, a collection focused on the intense love and sandpaper relationship between daughters and their mothers.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on SHOUT HER LOVELY NAME to find out more about the book and the author, Natalie Serber. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 05-17-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

The other day when I was looking for something on the Internet I discovered Luigi Pirandello. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1934, but that wasn't what impressed me about him (though granted that's impressive). I was more taken with the title of a play he'd written, "It is so! If you think so!" It was one of his first three plays, and since it took him less than one week to write it, instantly--I was a believer.

"It is so! If you think so!" (And the best part is, it happens in less than one week's time!)

You betcha. So I latched right on to that idea and decided to give it a whirl. Ooh, this was exciting, felt just like Christmas or my birthday. Okay, so what would I like to change in my life? I'd been avoiding a lot of little dicey situations lately, fearing they might turn into confrontations. Wouldn't it be grand if I had a Fix-It Fairy to take care of them for me? I know, I know, a Fix-it Fairy sounds like a kid's fairy tale, but Luigi Pirandello assures me that "It is so! (Suzanne) If you think so!" And by golly Pirandello was right. My Fix-It Fairy started out with a bang--she fixed one of my problems instantly. I was very impressed. But that was over a week ago, and ever since then I've been patiently waiting for my Fix-It Fairy to fly by and finish-up the job, to sprinkle her fairy dust on the rest of my problems, so poof!--they'll magically disappear. But she hasn't, and they haven't--disappeared.

I'm beginning to think I should have been more specific in my "It is so" thinking, adding adjectives such as competent, reliable and timely. Because the Fix-It Fairy assigned to me is a slacker. "It is so, because I know it's so!" First-of-all, she never shows up on time, and if-and-when she finally does fly by, she simply waves, then punches in on the fairy time clock, affirming she took care of Suzanne's problems, when in fact, she didn't. Don't you hate it when fairies don't take pride in their work?

"It may have been so! If you thought so!" in Pirandello's time, but take my word for it--it ain't so anymore--at least when it comes to fairies.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: THE YEAR OF THE GADFLY (Fiction) by Jennifer Miller

Iris Dupont is a precocious teenage reporter reeling from tragedy. Jonah Kaplan is a science teacher haunted by his past. As each investigates a vicious secret society in their remote New England prep school, they begin to uncover deeply buried secrets about their school, their town, and each other.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE YEAR OF THE GADFLY to find out more about the book and the author, Jennifer Miller. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

*Fun, free books and meet authors. Ask questions, they'll reply and read samples from their books. Visit AuthorBuzz at: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

(Fiction)
TRAVELERS REST by Ann Tatlock

(Nonfiction)
EATING FREE by Manuel Villacorta

(Nonfiction)
THE CHANGE YOUR LIFE BOOK by Bill O'Hanlon

(Fiction)
THE YEAR OF THE GADFLY by Jennifer Miller

(Fiction)
MURDER ONE by Robert Dugoni

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-16-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Today's guest Dear Reader column is written by Eleanor Kuhns; librarian by day, author by night and furiously writing in any other spare moments she can eek out of her busy schedule. She's a creative gal, writing in the tub, waiting in line at Starbucks, in a closet with an itty-bitty night light, so as not wake up anyone else in the house, in the pew (when the minister thinks she's dutifully taking notes on his sermon). Okay, so I don't really know where Eleanor Kuhns found the time to write such a delightful book, but thank heavens she did. Enjoy Eleanor's column today and enter-to-win one of the 15 galleys of her book, A Simple Murder. Send Eleanor an email, say hello and she will personally reply--and she'll enter you in the drawing. You can reach Eleanor at: eleanor.kuhns@gmail.com

Take it away, Eleanor...

The Librarian/Writer Dilemma:

I regularly hear the question: how does it feel to be both a writer and a librarian, as though these two professions are adversaries. Well, sometimes they are. They are siblings in the book world and of course, like siblings everywhere, sometimes they disagree. E-books, for example. What to do with e-books? I don't think any of us know exactly how to handle this new format. The book family is having some heated discussions on pricing and regulation. But we agree on getting books into the hands of readers. We have more in common than not.

Many librarians are frustrated writers; librarians have an affinity for books just like writers do. Not necessarily for the printed format, although some of us will never relinquish the physical object, but the content: fiction, essays, poetry or nonfiction. Libraries nurture writers as well as readers. And libraries provide a home for those of us who work at both.

Like libraries, the death of the publishing industry is regularly forecast. In Rodney Dangerfield's immortal phrase, we don't get no respect. If I had a dime for every time someone asked me if, in my library job, I read all the time, I wouldn't have to work at all. And writing? Well, even my nearest and dearest think I sit down at the laptop and the plots and characters just come to me fully formed and perfect. No struggle at all.

But there is one huge difference between these two callings: solitude versus working with the public. A writer has to live inside her head and for that I need peace. When I was working on A Simple Murder I lived inside my head as Will Rees, traveling weaver, meeting the Shakers for the first time. I couldn't tolerate any interruptions.

A librarian, on the other hand, is out with people every day. My entire work life is interruptions. During my career I've worked with all the ages from 6 month-old children up to the seniors in the local residence. If one enjoys people, and I really do, the question I ask myself is this: as I throw myself headlong into my childhood dream of living as a writer, could I ever surrender my library job? Patrons come in all varieties; the good and the bad. But the wonderful ones really make the day shine.

Eleanor Kuhns

A little bit about Eleanor:

I've been a librarian all of my adult life. I come from a family of librarians (both my mother and former mother-in-law are librarians) and my two children are carrying on the tradition. I started working in a library at sixteen, only a few years after I wrote my first story at ten. By then I was already an avid reader. I knew I wanted to be a writer; I wanted to make other people love my stories with the same intensity I loved the books I read. My two careers have been part of me for almost the same length of time.

I'm married with two biological children and a host of foster children. At least half of them write, something I find very gratifying, although the types of literature produced range from poetry to science fiction to memoir. And yes, I'm still employed as a librarian.

Say hello, receive a personal reply and enter-to-win a galley of her book, A SIMPLE MURDER. Email: eleanor.kuhns@gmail.com

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

AUTHORBUZZ: THE CHANGE YOUR LIFE BOOK (Nonfiction) by Bill O'Hanlon

Tired of the same old issues? You could leave them behind and have a different and better life within a year by making one small change a week.

I'm Bill O'Hanlon, featured OPRAH guest, and I have written an easy-to-read book with one small easy-to-make change per week that will help dissolve old, persistent problems and move you into a new sense of aliveness and possibility. It's challenging to make big dramatic changes, but making small changes can bring about big changes gradually.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE CHANGE YOUR LIFE BOOK to read more and to email author Bill O'Hanlon, you'll get a reply.

 

Dear Reader Column 05-10-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Thanks for taking the time to write. If you have a question about writing or about the book clubs, I'm happy to reply.

Annette reads at the book clubs and she was wondering . . .

"Hi Suzanne,

May I ask you a couple of questions?
How many people work for you?
How many books do you try to read in a week/month?
Do you still bake/cook with your grandson, Paul?
How do you do everything?!!!

(Suzanne replies:)

Yes, Annette, I still bake with my grandson, Paul, every Friday afternoon. We've been baking together since he was three years old. Paul's brother, James (who is 3-years-old now), isn't ready for baking yet. James has a completely different kind of personality, maybe when he gets a little older he'll be interested in baking. Not only is Paul learning how to bake, he's also learning how much fun it is to give homemade baked goods away. Every Friday, after we finish baking, he takes some of his goodies to our neighbors next door.

Thirteen people, including myself, work at DearReader. My husband and I own the company, and in addition to working with libraries to produce online book clubs for them, we develop other software programs, too. Our newest program is Library WishList. I'm extremely excited about it, probably because for 11 years I ran my own nonprofit, Meals For Madison. Every Friday, we served a meal to 125 people. The WishList allows a library, or Friends of the Library group, to do fundraising and recruit volunteers in a fun and simple way. Here's a link to our website, http://www.dearreader.com/Services/ and if you click at the top of the page, on the ABOUT US link, you'll find out more about Dear Reader, and you'll see the photos of everyone on staff. Most of the people are part-time, and most of the part-time people enjoy the opportunity to be available for their children.

I don't set a goal for the number of books I want to read every month. Way back in June of 1999, when I started DearReader, there was only one book club, so I used to read all of the books myself. Of course that would be impossible now, so people on staff help preview books. You need to sample a lot of books to find ones that you think might be a good match for the book clubs. I seem to go on reading sprees. I'll read non-stop for weeks, and then I might not dig into a book for two weeks. Reading, writing, gardening, baking, blowing bubbles, spending time with my wonderful husband, life gets busy, doesn't it?

How do I do it all? Well, the truth is that often I "over-do." Being lazy has never been a problem for me. So actually, one of my challenges in life is to try to be lazy--more often. Slow down, do nothing, and be at peace with myself and my surroundings.

Thank you for taking the time to write, I'm so glad you asked.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/

AUTHORBUZZ: THE POWER OF GRACE BETWEEN NASTY AND NICE (Nonfiction) by John and Linda Friel

America suffers from an epidemic of incivility, pseudo-self-esteem, narcissism, entitlement, and victim-perpetrator cycles of behavior that run from the halls of Congress to our own back yards. We are some of the unhappiest, meanest, and unhealthiest people on earth.
But we don't have to be.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on THE POWER OF GRACE BETWEEN NASTY AND NICE to find out more about the book and the authors, John and Linda Friel. Send them an email, they'd love to hear from you.

*Fun, free books and meet authors. Ask questions, they'll reply and read samples from their books. Visit AuthorBuzz at: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

(Nonfiction)
MOONLIGHT ON LINOLEUM by Terry Helwig

(Mystery)
SUBMERGED by Dani Pettrey

(Fiction)
AFTER THE FOG by Kathleen Shoop

(Nonfiction)
THE POWER OF GRACE BETWEEN NASTY AND NICE by John and Linda Friel

(Fiction)
SALVAGE THE BONES by Jesmyn Ward

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 05-09-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Hmm, good! It's time for my monthly Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. Even if you aren't entering this month's drawing, be sure to check out photos of past cookie winners. One bag of cookies made six different stops in a city, before the last one was eaten. I'd love to bake for you. Browse through two pages of cookie photos, and all you need to enter is a hankering for a homemade chocolate chip cookie (and be willing to send a photo when you get the cookies, if you please).

To see photos of satisfied cookie winners and to enter this month's giveaway, goto: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/cookie050812.html

Congratulations to last week's cookbook giveaways: Carleen Melendez, Dorothy Jelleyman, Caroline Inman, Caren Nicolds, Nancy Vehrs, Darlene Thoresen, Rhoda Alves-Packard, Pat Groshong, Trisha Huffman, Chris Merton, Pat Bjerke, Jacqueline Stuts, Barbara Rion, Jean Paquin, Polly Swesey and Dana Tulloss.

And Mary Rodriguez and Dan Valdez each won a copy of Strength for the Moment: Inspiration for Caregivers by Lori Hogan.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

KIDSBUZZ: Meet new authors--send an email, ask a question and they will reply. Plus enter to win a free (signed!) copy of the featured books from Jen Bryant, KALEIDOSCOPE EYES; Sheila Walsh, GABBY'S STICK TO IT DAY; and T.J. Garrison, TREASURES OF THE LOST KNIGHT. For a chance to win free copies, say hello to the authors, and more, see www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

AUTHORBUZZ: AFTER THE FOG (Fiction) by Kathleen Shoop

Set against Donora, Pennsylvania's historical five days of killing smog (1948) it's the story for every woman who thinks she left her past behind...

As a stagnant weather pattern traps poisonous mill gasses in the valley, neighbors grow sicker and Rose's nursing obligations thrust her into conflict she never could have fathomed.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on AFTER THE FOG to read more and to email author Kathleen Shoop, you'll get a reply.

* This month's Penguin Classics book is FOOLS CROW by James Welch. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/May12Classics

Dear Reader Column 05-02-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Spring cleaning continues at my house and this past weekend I cleared off my jammed cookbook shelf. If you collect cookbooks, know someone going off to college, getting married, or have a friend who just loves to cook, be sure to enter my New or Gently-Used Cookbook Giveaway. I have 15 new or gently-used cookbooks to give away. To enter go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRclear

If you are the caregiver for a parent or other loved one, you will find inspiration in Strength for the Moment: Inspiration for Caregivers by Lori Hogan. I have two copies to giveaway. When you enter, please be sure to enter CAREGIVER along with your address. To enter, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRclear

* Congratulations to the winners of Guest Columnist Anita Nair's new book, THE LILAC HOUSE: Donna Cousins, Marge OLeary, Nancy Nosek, Rick Martin and Bonnie Storm.

* Congratulations to the winners of my vintage apron and book giveaway (they will have to wait until their package arrives to find out if they won an apron or book): Jan Case, Dennis Hollin, Vanessa Hayes, Barbara Doll, Margie Bunting, Merrie Waldo, Jeanne Baj and Becky Cater.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: PASSING LOVE (Fiction) by Jacqueline Luckett

Moving between the present and the jazz-filled Paris of the 50s, two women deal with lost love, secrets and betrayal. Nicole has waited all her life to go to Paris. When her first trip takes an unexpected turn, she's torn by her choices. RubyMae knows the world holds a lot and she isn't afraid to go looking for it.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on Jacqueline Luckett to read more and to email author PASSING LOVE, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 04-27-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Ta-da! Today I'm doing a bit of housecleaning, which means I have good stuff--great stuff--to giveaway to readers.

My shelves are filled with vintage aprons, books, books, and more books. Can you lend me hand? Folks just like you really win things at the book clubs. Start your weekend with a bit of fun. To see a photo of Donna Easley, a happy, recent book winner and to enter today's giveaway, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRclear

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: YELLOW CROCUS (Fiction) by Laila Ibrahim

The image of Lisbeth, a white baby, breastfeeding in the loving arms of Mattie, an enslaved wet nurse came to me in a flash. These characters started to haunt me. Though I had never written anything, I was being called to tell their story. For my fortieth birthday, began the personal odyssey of writing my first novel. I hope you will come to love Mattie and Lisbeth as much as I have. I love to speak with book clubs and hear from readers.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on YELLOW CROCUS to read more and to email author Laila Ibrahim, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 04-18-12

Subscribe to one of Suzanne's online bookclubs and receive her daily
column at: DearReader.com


Sample Suzanne's book at:
Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life

AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader,

Traveling in style on a giant bus, emblazoned with massive book graphics on the side, four mystery writers, John Connolly, William Kent Krueger, Liza Marklund and M.J. Rose (our own personal Mystery Bus Tour reporter) are in the midst of an 8-day Mystery Bus Tour to meet readers, stopping in 11 cities across the country to meet readers in person.

What's it like riding a bus for eight days, traveling 2,375 miles? Enjoy today's Mystery Bus Tour update, from author M.J. Rose, and you can sample her newest release, The Book of Lost Fragrances.

Take it away M.J. Rose...

What Matters?

The wheels roll round and round. And round. And round. And the ride is bumpier than I imagined and the stretches between stores give you a lot of time to think since reading and writing are more difficult than I imagined.

I'd planned to be funny and glib and witty about the tour in this column and give you sparkling anecdotes about the stores and the crowds and the (wonderful) writers I'm traveling with and the (brave and strong) booksellers we're meeting.

But instead I want to tell you about Sarah.

On Friday night we were in the B&N in I forget where already--not really--we were in Framingham outside of Boston, and we spoke to a good-sized crowd of about thirty people.

After our talk, during the signing a lovely soft-spoken woman approached. Her young daughter beside her. The woman held out a copy of my book. I took it and asked for her name so I'd know what to write in the inscription.

"It's not for me," she put her arm gently around her daughter. "It's for Sarah."

My eyebrows must have gone up a bit. I looked back at Sarah, thinking maybe I'd glanced too quickly before and she was older than I'd thought. But no, the beautiful little girl with dirty blonde bangs, creamy skin, blue yes and a heart shaped mouth was indeed very young.

"How old are you?" I asked Sarah.

"Eight," she said shyly.

I looked back at her mom. "You know there's some stuff in this book that isn't..."

She interrupted. "It's not for now. It's for when she grows up. We were here shopping for books and saw the poster that you were all here. Sarah wants to be a writer when she grows up and she thought the title of your book was beautiful and wanted to meet a real writer."

I looked back at Sarah who was nodding vehemently. I thanked her so much for liking my title. Then I asked her what books she liked we talked about how much fun reading was. Then she told me that she's taking a writing workshop and how much fun it was.

Everything about the Department of Justice lawsuit and e-book price wars and the lack of discovery and the other millions of things that are wrong with publishing faded into the background.

Sarah was so excited as she took the book from me. As she read the inscription I'd written, her eyes got wider.

Suddenly I was on her side of the table being her age falling in love with books and thinking they were some kind of magic and dreaming about one day being able to make that kind of magic. I never met a writer until I was seventeen and met Ayn Rand (Amazing first writer to meet, right?)

And I remembered how in awe I was and how gracious and kind she was when I told her I wanted to be a writer too.

The book world is living through a publishing revolution right now. But as I watched Sarah clutching my book and waving goodbye I was 100% sure of what one thing that's not changing. That's not even being questioned. Readers and writers. Writers and readers. We need each other. And I believe that one way or another we're always going to find each other and inspire each other.

And I can't wait for the day Sarah sends me a copy of her first book.

Sample M.J. Rose's new book, The Book of Lost Fragrances:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=%%list.name%%qqxqR1FE5F42F3A3&c=SUZ

Send her an email and you'll receive a personal reply: LostFragrances@gmail.com

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.muffinsandmayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: IN LEAH'S WAKE (Fiction) by Terri Giuliano Long

The Tylers have a perfect life--until 16-year-old Leah falls for a high school dropout and roadie for a rock band. As Leah's parents fight to save their daughter from a world of drugs, sex, and wild parties, 12-year-old Justine is left to observe her sister's rebellion from the shadows of their fragmented family. Can this family survive in Leah's wake? What happens when love just isn't enough?

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on IN LEAH'S WAKE to read more and to email author Terri Giuliano Long, you'll get a reply.